By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a two-decade long courtship the proposed Cotton Bay Development is now set to "revitalise" the island and economy of Eleuthera following the finalisation of an agreement between Four Seasons Resorts and Cotton Bay and Mine Holdings Ltd.

At a ceremony at the home of the principal owner of Cotton Bay and Mine Holdings, Dr Luis Carlos Sarmiento Angulo, on Friday, Prime Minister Perry Christie stated that the 1,500-acre, phased development would act as a "catalyst" for the island's economy.

Mr Christie said he took a personal interest in the development to ensure that the once "envy of the of the region" could "at the very least, return to the state of prominence it once had".

He added that the development - in south Eleuthera - will feature in its first phase a $100m development of a five star, 115-room resort hotel and private residential subdivision with 40 lots, a renovated 18-hole Robert Trent Jones designed golf course, spa and recreational facilities, several restaurants and bars, a commercial shopping centre and employee housing situated on 320 acres.

Mr Christie said the development will incorporate into its design local Bahamian art work and will employ Bahamian musicians and entertainers. In addition the Prime Minister suggested that locally grown agricultural products, produced in Eleuthera and at the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Sciences Institute (BAMSI) in Andros, would be utilised at the resort.

"The creation of a successful destination requires the convergence of critical mass in room inventory, commercial and retail services, infrastructure, airlift and human capital," Mr Christie said. "I believe that we will have all of these ingredients in the making along with this project, which will ensure its viability and long term sustainability of Eleuthera's tourism industry."

When completed, the development will include investment in additional residential subdivisions, 200 villas and other amenities. Construction is expected to create 200 direct jobs and 300 permanent ones, said Mr Christie.

Tourism Minister, Obie Wilchcombe said that, 20 years ago, the thought was that Eleuthera would one day regain its prominence. "Now today we see it is time for Eleuthera to join the other islands of the Bahamas. Under the leadership of our Prime Minister, we have been able to cause continued growth and development, a very dynamic plan for tourism growth," he said.

No official date was given for the start of construction but all indications from Mr Christie suggested that the government is pushing for ground breaking in the fall.

In 2009 Four Seasons was forced to close its Great Exuma property due to the sharp falloff in resort tourism in the Bahamas at that time. Alinio Azevedo, Four Seasons Vice President of development, added that the resorts giant always had plans to return to the Bahamas, a destination he said the brand considered one of the best in the world.